Another Indian Disaster Looms In Nigeria

• .As Indian firm runs high-tension transmission line over industrial complex
• .Over 100 Nigerian factory workers, properties in danger
• .Uses Nigerian soldiers, mobile policemen to intimidate local authorities

From Lagos, Nigeria
Months after the Dana Air Crash that brought tears to the eyes of many Nigerians seems to have been forgotten, another disaster of similar magnitude lurks in the corner.
This time, another Indian Company, Top Steel Nig. Ltd, in a seeming display of insensitivity to the environment, on the 8^th of June, 2012 erected a transmission pillar and ran a high tension power transmission line directly over the roof of an industrial complex owned by Isocare West Africa Ltd., in which over 100 Nigerians work daily. Both companies are located at the Ikorodu Industrial Estate, Odogunyan, Lagos.
On the 5^th of June, the counsel to Isocare West Africa had met with the General Manager of Top-Steel Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Rajendra Bharadia and explained to him about the dangerous implications of mounting a high tension wire directly over the roof of the industrial complex of Isocare West African Limited and advised him to have a rethink.
Mr. Bharadia however, rebuffed all the entreaties and resolved to go ahead with the project. Within the same period, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) based on a complaint by Isocare, and after a physical inspection of the said construction, had issued an abatement notice to Top Steel and its General Manager Mr. Rajendra Bharadia at the site of the erection of the high tension wire ordering the company to discontinue the project, this also was ignored by the Top Steel helmsman.
The Ikorodu Local Government Environmental Task Force also issued a stop work order to Top Steel Nigeria Limited which was also ignored.
Mr. Bharadia after several complaints and directives to him to stop work, in apparent defiance proceeded to bribe top officials at the Army Barrack in Ikorodu, and then recruited Nigerian soldiers and mobile Policemen who he stationed at the construction site, while he personally supervised the erection of the high tension wire over another company’s (Isocare West Africa) property.
Mr. Bharadia had also allegedly ordered mobile policemen to assault and brutalize staff of Isocare West Africa who attempted to take pictures of the erection of the high tension wire over Isocare.
Nigerian workers allegedly assaulted include one James Ajayi, a photographer; David Effiong, Niyi Adejimoh and Lekan Amos, all employees of Isocare.
Isocare West Africa Ltd was established seven years ago by a Nigerian living in the Diaspora after several entreaties by Nigerian trade delegations overseas to Nigerians to invest at home.
A beverage and plastic making factory, Isocare produces bottled water, carbonated soft drinks and juice in Tetra Pak and sports drinks like Gatorade. The company has in its employ over 100 Nigerians working day and night at the industrial complex which has equipment estimated at over $50 million all of which could face destruction at the snap of a single high tension transmission line.
The said high tension which was erected solely for the purpose of connecting Top Steel Nigeria Ltd was apparently carried out without any evaluation of the environmental impact and with very little consideration to the safety of lives and properties that already existed in the area before the erection of the transmission line.
It would be recalled that in June this year, a 33KVA transmission line that passed through the Agbakoja market, Apata in Ibadan South West Council area of Oyo State snapped and killed five traders including an expectant woman.
At the time, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria had made their position very clear. In a statement by the Principal Manager (Public Affairs) Mr. Jude Oyenuga, the PHCN made it abundantly clear that it portends grave hazards to have buildings or activities under or even within close proximity of a high tension wire.
His words: “The public should bear in mind that these electrical materials are persistently exposed to mother nature which makes them vulnerable to wear and tear. This could lead to the snapping of the line and such accident could happen without notice with dire consequences”.
Commenting also, the Ag. Director of Public Affairs of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Dipo Ifabiyi noted that even if the transmission line was as low as 11KVA, running same directly over an already existing property was still dangerous and contravenes standard regulations and conventions.
An activist, Mr. Chidi Emeagi, condemned the situation say, “Nigerian authorities would keep on talking and not take action until we have another mortal disaster in our hands. Only in Nigeria would a country’s security agencies be used to perpetrate acts of lawlessness and impunity. The governments of the land cannot claim ignorance of the reckless actions of the Indian firm, until they have ‘human barbecues’ of Nigerian citizens in their hands. And then, perhaps, all the relevant agencies that should have taken action would be mobilized to yet again gloss over the disaster like they did in the avoidable Dana airplane crash.”
Emeagi called on the Lagos state government and the Federal government to put their foot down and protect the lives of their nationals.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Mr. Rajendra Bharadia of Top Steel were thwarted by the management of the company.
247UReports

Major roads in Lagos to get bicycle lanes

In a bid to give Nigeria’s most populous city an effective transport system, the state government has announced plans to introduce bicycles lanes on major roads across the city.
Mannie leading this year’s participants in Park and Ride
This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on Sunday at a cycling event ‘Park and Ride’ which urge Nigerians to park their cars and ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle and cleaner environment.
Speaking at the event as the special guest, Mr Opeifa noted that “the bicycle programme is on and pretty soon, you will see some roads in Lagos, marked as bike zones.”
According to the Commissioner, “what is alternative to Okada (motorcycle) is the bicycle.”
This is coming at a time when the state government is still embroiled in controversy with the Okada riders over their restriction to ride on some highways in the city and a recent clampdown on them for defaulting the new Lagos Traffic law.
Discouraging the use of okada on walkable distance, the Commissioner stated that “anybody who wants to take a bike (okada) from their house to the bus stop, should use their bicycles.”
“And when they (commuters in Lagos) get to the bus stop they should tie their bikes to the poles provided at the bus stop and join the BRT buses.” “The poles we are providing at the bus stops are not for decorations but for people to tie their bicycles” he added.
“All over the world, from London to Stockholm to Buenos Aires, people now ride their bikes to work because it saves the environment of the gaseous emissions that is harmful to the environment.”
He also noted that cycling will enhance people’s lifestyle and thereby improve their productive and lifespan which he claims will also have a resultant effect on the nation’s GDP.
Acknowledging that the tropical weather in Lagos will make it uncomfortable for cyclers, the Commissioner noted that “yes, the weather will make people sweat but offices will be urged to provide showers” to ameliorate the discomfort.
This he claimed is done across the world.
Park n Ride is an annual event organized by On Air personality, Mannie of CoolFM Lagos, which urges people to park their cars and ride bicycles in a bid to address climate change and improve people’s lifestyle.
 DailyPost

Kano Local Government officials distribute N26m to pilgrims in Saudi Arabia

Members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano chapter yesterday distributed 600, 335 Saudi Arabian Riyals (about N26 million) to over 7,000 pilgrims from the state in Saudi Arabia.
According to the association’s secretary, Alhaji Bello Muhammed Butubutu, who presented the money to the representatives of the pilgrims,  the gesture was approved by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
He said each pilgrim would receive 100 Riyals (N4,400) which he said would help them to feed themselves for a few days while they prepare to leave the country following the conclusion of the Hajj rituals.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Kano State Pilgrim Welfare Board (KSPWB) Malam Abba Koki, has pledged to secure the refund of what the pilgrims’ spent on feeding from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) after allegedly failing to provide food to pilgrims on the Arafat ground last Thursday.
“As representatives of the pilgrims at the national level, we are deeply concerned by the failure of the National Hajj Commission to feed pilgrims on the Arafat ground. Last year, when a similar thing happened, we ensured that all pilgrims were given back their feeding fees.  Again this time, since you have not been fed on the Arafat day after paying for it, we promise to refund your money from the national Hajj officials,” he said.
DailyPost

Taraba crash: Families want governor’s aides to be treated abroad too

Families of the injured aides of Taraba State Governor Dambaba Suntai, on Sunday, asked the government to extend same overseas treatment to their loved ones as their injured boss. The governor and the aides were the occupants of the Cessna 208, 5N-BMJ Jet that crashed at the Yola airport last Thursday.
Some members of the families who craved anonymity told journalists in Abuja that if the governor could be flown to Germany, it showed that the government lacked confidence in the local hospitals.
They spoke their minds when the injured aides were transferred from Yola to the National Hospital, Abuja, 30 hours after Suntai was flown abroad.
“Considering the degree of injuries, I think they should be transferred overseas. After all what is good for the governor will still be good for his aides. They were in the same aircraft with the governor and I think they should be given the same treatment like him,” one of them said.
Our correspondent learnt in Abuja on Sunday that Suntai’s Aide de Camp, Dasat Iliya, had been lying unconscious at the Yola hospital since the incident that also left the governor in critical condition.
But the governor who had been airlifted to the National Hospital on Friday was early on Saturday flown to Germany for treatment while the injured aides were brought to the National Hospital on Sunday.
The Chief Detail to the Governor, Joel Dan, was also said to be having a fractured arm while the governor’s Chief Security Officer, Timo Dangana, reportedly had his two legs damaged.
Both Dan and Dangana had been reportedly taken to Jalingo, Taraba State Capital for treatment before they were transferred to Abuja Sunday night.
The governor’s aides were brought to the National Hospital in a convoy of siren-blaring ambulances at 6.40pm on Sunday.
 DailyPost

Journalists barred from covering President Jonathan’s visit to Akwa Ibom

Journalists in Akwa Ibom State were Saturday stopped from covering a stakeholders’ meeting during a one-day visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state.
The President visited the state to inaugurate the new Governor’s office and perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the international stadium in Uyo, the state capital.
Reporters who had gone to the Banquet Hall, venue for the stakeholders meeting, were kept standing outside from 9 am till about 11.30am when the President arrived to meet with the stakeholders in the state.
The plea by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, for journalists with accreditation for the President’s visit, to enter the hall was simply rebuffed by the men of the State Security Services (SSS) and armed mobile Police.
Praised singers, band sets, uniformed groups and market women who thronged the venue were however given free access to enter the hall.
The security details who mounted the gate had claimed that they had a list of 200 names for admission into the hall, saying provision was not provided for the journalists.
The chief press secretary to the Governor, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, was not on hand to even remedy the situation even as the chairman of the Nigerian Union Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State chapter, Mr. Joe Effiong, was embarrassed on the development.
Effiong, who frowned on the actions of the security personnel, had to call on journalists to leave the venue to avoid any unpleasant consequence as there was a threat on the application of force.
President Jonathan who had earlier inaugurated the new ultramodern Governor’s Office complex was full of praise to Governor Godswill Akpabio for the projects embarked upon in the state and his transformation agenda.
He lauded the modern facilities in the new office which include video conferencing in the executive chamber which he described as a plus to the state government.
Akpabio, who received the President, said it was a rare privilege for the President to honour and commission the project.
He said his tenure would continue to witness people-oriented project as dividends of democracy to the people.
Briefing the President on the project, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem, said the new governor’s office was completed in 12 months.
 DailyPost

Jonathan’s administration is the most corrupt in history – CPC

Rotimi Fashakin

A leading opposition party in Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has called for the immediate implementation of the Nuhu Ribadu-led oil Revenue Task Force.
The president had set up a 21-member panel, headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, following the January’s nationwide protests against the hike in fuel price.
In a press statement signed by Rotimi Fashakin, the party’s National Publicity Secretary,  the highlights of the report as were presented as follows:

•       N86.6 Billion in cash from generous exchange rates over the 10-year period had disappeared. •       The NNPC had been getting 445,000 barrels per day of crude oil for local refining and consumption but had been selling itself this oil at cut-down prices, a practice that had cost Nigeria $5Billion in potential oil revenue in the same period.
•       Nigerian oil ministers (between 2008 and 2011) handed out seven discretionary licenses, with $183million in signature bonuses missing from the deals.
•       $1.5 Billion (in unpaid royalties) owed by Addax.
•       N137.57Billion debt owed by Shell for gas sold.
•       Nigeria is the ONLY Nation to sell all its crude through
International oil traders rather than directly to refineries, deals
usually enmeshed in opacity.
“The corruption in the oil industry has reached the crescendo in the 13-year reign of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with unbudgeted trillions of Naira (ostensibly used in corrupting the electoral process in 2011),” the statement said, adding that the infernal nature of the corruptive tendencies in the industry (under PDP) is seen in the pains inflicted on the Nigerian people in getting unfettered access to petroleum products for their daily needs.
“It is, without doubt, the reason that a new generation of people has been ennobled into the super-rich Nigerians, on behalf of the rest of us,” CPC said.

It also accused the Minister of Petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke of deliberately withholding the report because of vested interest.
“Is the Honourable Minister showing, with her body language, that this administration is only interested in laying subterfuge for an anti-corruption war in the oil Industry that it does not intend to pursue with scrupulous diligence?
“The CPC Party has always postulated: the Jonathan administration is not only the most corrupt in the nation’s history but it is also capable of throwing the Nigerian state into unrecoverable downward spiral of economic depression.”
DailyPost

Mo Ibrahim Governance Report On Jonathan’s Nigeria

| SAM NDA-ISAIAH

A fortnight ago, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation released its governance report for 2012. The foundation was established by Dr Mohamed “MO” Ibrahim in 2006. Mo Ibrahim, who was born in Sudan but now settled in Britain, is the billionaire entrepreneur who founded the telecommunications giant Celtel. By the time he sold it in 2005 for $3.4 billion, Celtel had over 24 million mobile phone subscribers in 14 African countries. In 2006, he established the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to encourage good governance in Africa. He also created the Mo Ibrahim Governance Index to evaluate African nations’ performance.
In 2007, he established the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership which awards a $5 million initial payment and a $200,000 annual payment for life to African presidents who deliver security, health, education and economic development to their nations. In 2007, the prize was awarded to President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique; in 2008 to President Festus Mogae of Botswana. No African president qualified for the award in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, it was won by President Pedro Pires of Cape Verde. No African president performed well enough to earn it this year. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation also publishes the Ibrahim Index of African Governance ranking the performance of all 53 African countries. This year, both Sudan and Southern Sudan were not evaluated for lack of sufficient data.
This year, the best performing country by the index is Mauritius. And the top best 10, apart from Mauritius, are Cape Verde, Botswana, Seychelles, South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Tunisia, Lesotho and Tanzania in that order. For the first time since this governance assessment started, Nigeria is graded among the worst 10 governed nations of Africa. This should hardly surprise us, except that we have not heard any abusive condemnations of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation from Jonathan’s verbose aides.
Nigeria shares this infamy of being among the worst 10 with Equitorial Guinea, one of the most corrupt countries in the world; Guinea Bissau, which is technically a failed state; Cote d’ Ivoire; Zimbabwe where Robert Mugabe still looms large; Central African Republic; Eritrea; Chad; Democratic Republic of Congo, another failed state perpetually at war; and, of course, Somalia, which has been taken over by thugs, terrorists and pirates. Jonathan’s Nigeria is clearly in good company.
Many of us have had cause to declare that, even by Nigeria’s very poor governance standards, the Jonathan government stands alone and apart. Our current problem is monumental corruption which robs vital sectors of funding, and also incompetence in governance. “Incompetence” and “clueless” are words that have been freely associated with the Nigerian president all over the world. Borno and Yobe states are the headquarters of Boko Haram operatives and Yobe, especially, is a completely failed state. The Yobe governor doesn’t even live in the state anymore.
The situation in Yobe is worse than the situation in Somalia. Yet, the president has not visited there – not even once. When asked recently, the president said the Maiduguri Airport was not functioning, but every Nigerian knew that was a presidential lie. I have never seen a commander-in-chief so afraid of felons like our president. Because Jonathan has refused to go there, it should not be any surprise that many people including Boko Haram chieftains now believe that the president has ceded those two states to Boko Haram, just like we have al-Shabaab-controlled areas of Somalia.
It is the type of corruption that allows as much as N2.6 trillion to be stolen from a single subhead in a single year that has deprived the nation of funds to tackle the insecurity in the country. As I have always averred on this page, security is the first and basic responsibility of every government. And if any government fails in this index, it will fail in all the other indices. It is also corruption that has prevented the country from making any meaningful progress in education, provision of healthcare services, development of infrastructure as well as all aspects of human and material development.
I hope that this year’s very damning Mo Ibrahim report on Nigeria would be very useful in serving as a wake-up call to President Jonathan to know that it’s not only Nigerians that are watching him. The world is also watching and the verdict on him so far is very, very bad.

EARSHOT
Between Oshiomhole And Amnesty International
Governor Adams Oshiomhole has come under criticism from Amnesty International because he granted a go-ahead for the execution of two persons sentenced to death for murder by the courts. Those who criticise the governor have not said that the convicts are not murderers. No, they are only against the death sentence as a policy.
I believe one of the problems of this country is that we have not been convicting and executing murderers enough in this country. Death sentences and executions are not punishment for the convicted. They are deterrents to those with murderous instincts who are still alive. And that is a very good and valid reason to continue with the death sentence as a policy. A major reason why there is so much anarchy and disorder in this country is that crimes are not punished. That is statecraft 101. And anyone who is ready to kill should also be ready to die. We only need to look around the world and compare those countries with strong rule of law which execute murderers with those who think they are “too civilised” to execute murderers and see which ones are more liveable. I advocate the death sentence not only for murderers but also for kidnappers and arms traffickers who are the facilitators of these crimes.
Until we start executing all those who kill either in the name of armed robbery,  religion, kidnapping or terrorism, bad people would continue to kill innocent people just for the fun of it. Until there are grave consequences for murder, Nigeria will continue to be one of the most dangerous countries to live in. If the rule of law has been followed and the convicts have exhausted their appeals, Governor Oshiomhole should ensure that the death sentences are carried out as soon as possible.
 Leadership